were asked. That wasn't so bad. The part Margie hated most was the slot where she had to put homework and test papers. She always
had to write them out in a punch code they made her learn when she was six years old and the mechanical teacher calculated the
mark in no time.
The Inspector had smiled after he was finished and patted Margie's head. He said to her mother, "It's not the little girl's fault, Mrs.
Jones, I think the geography sector was geared a little too quick. Those things happen sometimes. I've slowed it up to an av erage ten
year level. Actually, the overall pattern of her progress is quite satisfactory." And he patted Margie's head again.
Margie was disappointed. She had been hoping they would take the teacher away altogether. They had once taken Tommy's
teacher away for nearly a month because the history sector had blanked out completely.
So she said to Tommy. "Why would anyone write about school?"
Tommy looked at her with very superior eyes. "Because it's not our kind of school, stupid. 5 This is the old kind of school that they
had hundreds and hundreds years ago." He added loftily, pronouncing the word carefully, "Centuries ago."
Margie was hurt. "Well, I don't know what kind of school they had all that time ago." She read the book over his shoulder for a
while, then said, "Anyway, they had a teacher."
"Sure, they had a teacher, but it wasn't a regular teacher. It was a man."
"A man? How could a man be a teacher?"
"Well, he just told the boys and girls things and gave them homework and asked them questions."
"A man isn't smart enough."
"Sure 6 he is. My father knows as much as my teacher."
"He can't. A man can't know as much as a teacher."
"He knows almost as much, I betcha.7" Margie wasn't prepared to dispute that. She said. "I wouldn't want a strange man in my
house to teach me."
Tommy screamed with laughter. "You don't know much, Margie. The teachers didn't live in the house. They had a special building
and all the kids went there."
"And all the kids learned the same things?"
"Sure, if they were the same age."
"But my mother says a teacher has to be adjusted to fit the mind of each boy and girl it teaches and that each kid has to be taught
differently."
"Just the same they didn't do it that way then. If you don't like it, you don't have to read the book."
"I didn't say I didn't like it," Margie said quickly. She wanted to read-about those funny schools.
They weren't even hall-finished, when Margie's mother called, "Margie! School!"
Margie looked up. "Not yet, Mamma."
"Now!" said Mrs. Jones. "And it's probably time for Tommy, too." Margie said to Tommy, "Can I read the book some more with
you after school?" "Maybe," he said nonchalantly.
He walked away, whistling, the dusty old book tucked beneath his arm.
Margie went into the schoolroom. It was right next to her bedroom and the mechanical teacher was on and waiting for her. It was
always on at the same time every day, except Saturday and Sunday, because her mother said little girls learned better if they learned
at regular hours.
The screen lit up, and it said:
"Today's arithmetic lesson is on the addition of proper fractions. Please insert yesterday's homework in the proper slot."
Margie did so with a sigh. She was thinking about the old schools they had when her grandfather's grandfather was a little boy. All
the kids from the whole neighbourhood came laughing and shouting in the schoolyard, sitting together in schoolroom, going home
together at the end of the day. They learned the same things, so they could help one another on the homework and talk about it.
And the teachers were people ...
The mechanical teacher was flashing on the screen:
"When we add the fractions 1/2 and 1/4 8 — "Margie was thinking about how the kids must have loved it in the old days. She was
thinking about the fun they had.
EXPLANATORY NOTES
1. his grandfather: graphic means (italics, bold type, etc.) are very often used as expressive means of the language to enhance a
part of the utterance in order to convey in written form the emphatic intonation of the speaker.
2. gee (interj.): a very common mild euphemism based on the first syllable of the word "Jesus". Used to express surprise or the
like. (Russian: Вот так так! Вот это да! Здорово!)
3.1 guess (Am. colloq.): I think.
4. telebooks: authors of science fiction (SF) very often coin new words to describe advanced technology of the future. The term is
used by I.Asimov in the meaning "books shown on a TV screen".
5. stupid (colloq.): a stupid person.
6. sure (Am. colloq.): inevitably, without fail.
7. 1 betcha ( illit.): I am sure.
8. 1/2 and 1/4 — one half and one quarter; 1/8 — one eighth; 1/3 — one third.
ESSENTIAL VOCABULARY
Vocabulary Notes
1. stand vi 1) to be in an upright position, as to stand still (straight, motionless); to stand with one's back to smb.; to stand in one's
light; to stand leaning against smth., to stand in a line; to stand on end to rise up on the head as a result of fright or astonishment, e.
g. His hair stood on end. to stand out to be outlined, to be prominent, e. g. The green roof stood out against the clear sky. His work
stands out from that of the others, to stand up for smb. (smth.) to defend or support smb. (smth.), e. g. George stood up for precedent,
it stands to reason it goes without saying, e. g. It stands to reason that we must do the job as well as possible. 2) to bear smth., e. g.
Montmorency couldn't stand George's music. I cannot stand heat (pain, his jokes, the climate, etc.). to stand one's ground to be firm,
e. g. Everybody was against him, but he stood his ground. 3) to remain unchanged, e. g. The agreement stands. 4) to provide and
pay for, as to stand treat (z. e. pay the bill); 5) to support, e. g. We must stand by each other. 6) to be, e. g. He stands 6 foot in
height, to stand for to mean, e. g. M.P. stands for Member of Parliament.
2. hate vt to have a strong dislike for; wish evil to; (collag.) regret, e. g. My cat hates dogs. I hate troubling you (to trouble you).
hate n hatred; extreme dislike or ill-will, e. g. He was filled with hate for his enemy.
hateful adj feeling, showing or causing hate, as a hateful crime, hateful glances, hateful lie.
hatred n hate; strong ill-will; {collog.) strong dislike, e. g. He looked at me with hatred in his eyes.
3. smile vi/t 1) to have a smile on one's face, e. g. He never smiles. What are you smiling at? Fortune has always smiled on (upon)
him. 2) to express by smiling; drive away by smiling, as to smile away vexation (grief), e. g. He is not a man to smile away
vexation.
smile n 1) the act of smiling; a smiling expression, e. g. There was a pleasant (cruel, ironical, etc.) smile on her face, to be all smiles
to look pleased, e. g. The little boy's face was all smiles when he saw his new toy. 2) pi. favour, support, as to enjoy the smiles of
